1. Field
The following description relates to a power converter. The following description also relates to a power consumption reduced type power converter that minimizes power consumption regardless of an output terminal overload of the power converter.
2. Description of Related Art
A power converter is a device that converts and provides power for driving various electronic devices such as a computer, a TV, and so on. In some applications, a converter may be a rotary converter, a mercury rectifier and so on. However, recently a power converter refers to a semiconductor power converter formed using a semiconductor device.
A power converter may have a disable mode, that is, a powered down mode or a sleep mode, to reduce its power consumption. The disable mode restricts a part of the operation of the power converter to minimize consumption of a driving current when a main circuit of the power converter does not operate. On the other hand, when the power converter is normally operating, it is referred to as an enable mode or normal mode.
The enable mode and the disable mode in a power converter perform power converter operation according to certain conditions.
Operation of the aforementioned mode converter is illustrated referring to a diagram of a power converter according to an alternative technology shown in the example of FIG. 1. The example of FIG. 1 illustrates a circuit to reduce the energy consumption of a power converter with a structure by which a user is able to restrict the power consumption of the power converter.
First, the following discusses operation with respect to a power converter that enters into a disable mode.
A condition of entering a disable mode is that it occurs when a power level of a feedback block is in a pull-up condition. However, when a voltage level of a feedback block is switched, the operational frequency of a 7-bit counter placed on a back terminal is switched. Accordingly, there is an issue that a mode converting time into a disable mode changes. Alternatively put, an operation is performed in a disable mode. However, when an oscillator of the power converter circuit operates without providing sufficient corrective ability, an operational frequency changes according to a feedback. Accordingly, the time for converting to a disable mode changes so the preferred operational mode is not performed accurately. Thus, an additional oscillator used for a counter in the alternative technology is required. Alternatively put, the power converter of an alternative technology comprises an additional circuit that is able to stably output an operational frequency of a 7-bit counter regardless of a voltage level of a feedback block.
Second, the following discussion illustrates operation of a power converter that enters an enable mode using a bypass capacitor (CBP) included in the power converter.
To enter the enable mode from the disable mode, voltage charged in the bypass capacitor is required to satisfy a condition of being fully discharged.
However, the bypass capacitor of the power converter of an alternatively technology is chosen to be a mass storage capacitor, that is, the capacitor capacitance ranges from about 1 μF to 100 μF. Accordingly, a response time lengthens according to a discharge time for the capacitor. Also, there is a possible issue related to stress being applied to a power switch.